Process for producing aliphatic carbonyl compounds



Patented May25, 1937 PROCESS FOR. PRODUCING ALIPHATIC CARBONYL COMPOUNDS,

Hermann Prii'ckner, Chemnitz, Germany, assignor, bymesne assignments, to Biihme Fettchemie-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Chemnitz, Germany No Drawing. Application September 23,, 1933, Serial No. 690,768. In Germany July 15, 1931 Claims. (or 260138) This invention relates to a process for treating other or with chromium and other known activatthe salts of fatty acids toproduce aliphatic caring a bonyl compounds, and has for its object an in- However, if th Catalyst is Omitted in a yi crease in the quantity of yield and an improve- Out the P o the aldehyde Corresponding to 5 ment in the purity of the material obtained. t e f ty acid s emp oy is obtained in e y 5 This application is a continuation-in-part' of great yield, it being unneeessal'y to p v d an my prior application Serial No. 617,686, filed June atmosphere f hy r n- Th impr v results 16, 1932, the latter application being directed priare u primarily t the u of the solvent beforemarily to processes for producing alcohols from mentioned, e reaction proceeding much more t fatty acid n h in my prior application smoothly even at temperatures far below those 10 it is pointed out that the conversion of the calcium heretofore emp oy and a higher yield resultsalts of the higher fatty acids having at least two carbon atoms and of formic acid, and the catalytic Alternatively, t folmates m be Omitted hydrogenation of the resulting aldehydes of the replaced by t Salts of Other fatty dS, ich

tt series may b m t simultaneously with event the reaction results in the. production in 15 the result that primary alcohols f unusual puriby excellent yield of the simple or mixed ketones. are produced in abundant yield. The reaction of It is s s d o further o y t herethe calcium salts is furth d d brought to a inbefore described process of obtaining either the complete tennination by th continuous removal 'aldehydes or the ketones from the fatty acids by during the process of th ld h as t result the substitution for the calcium salts of the fatty so of the simultaneous conversion of the latter to acids employed or of the formic acid of thercor' alcoh l b catalytic reduction Thus the equi responding salts of the alkali metals or the alkalibrium of the aldehyde formation reaction is con- 'Hne'earth metals for instance ,sodlum banum tinuously disturbed and the reaction may be carstrontium potassium P magneslum-i The heavy 2 ried out under milder conditions and much more metal Salts such or copper soaps as completely th is possible when the aldehydes may be employed. Likewise, mixtures of the fatty and th a1 h 1 are reduced b Se ante acids or of formic acid with various bases can be esses, p y p p o utilized, the process in each instance being pref- In this manner the calium salt of lauric acid erably carried out in the manner described as suitma 8 able when the calcium salts are employed. m autfeiiiyliit ;iitiii iiifioiftti aitii e a Stearate may be converted through the Stearic practical application of the principles of the inaldehyde to stearic alcohol in a single process, vention. l

The process may be carried out either at atmospheric or at elevated pressure, for instance at 5 grams of Sodium Stearate and ums 0f 35 about 100 to 200 atmospheres, and the tempera- Calcium formate are dissolved in 10 grams of ture is preferably maintained between the apcyelohexane With the appl n of moderate proximat h it f 150, 400 C. t furheat. The solution is then heated in a closed ther found that the presence of a solvent such as reaction Vessel t0 apprOXimatelY the prestetralin, dodecane, or butyl alcohol favors to a Sure Iising during the heatiPg to l 30 8131105 40 very material extent the formation of the aldef This temperature 15 maintamed;

hyde, and preferably the solvent used is the alco- Proxlmately two hours and the e m hol comprising the end product of the reaction. allowed. t 0001- AS a reaction product a 111811 For instance, in the treatment of calcium lauriyield of stearin aldehyde obtained which may nate the preferred solvent is lauric alcohol, the be isolated by distilling ofi the cyclohexane which process being thereby simplified by the elimim; is used as a solvent. Alternatively water or other tion of the final step of separating the solvent s1ve nts y be employed m by procefadmg in from the end product precisely the same manner, simple or mixed ketones can be obtained as the reaction product if Any 1 g i i gg i fg g igfigg gg fifig the formates are omitted or are replaced by other 50 of the alcohols, either alone or precipitated on a fatty acid salts suitable carrier and with or without previous reductlon, such for example as copper, nickel, cobalt, 5 grams of sodium palmitate and 1.8 grams of catalysts and their combinations with one ancalcium formats are dissolved in 10 grams of 55 Example I Example I] t cyolohexane and the procedure outlined in Example I is followed.

Ewample III parts by weight of the calcium salt of coconut tion product is decomposed with hydrochloric acid,- etherized out, and the ethereal solution dried and the ether distilled oif. According to analysis the residue consists of 50% ketone which corresponds predominantly to the formula,

CHsCO (CH2) 10CH3.

Example IV 50parts by weight of calcium caprinate, 18

parts by weight of calcium acetate and 200 parts by weight of benzene are treated as indicated in Example III with analogous results.

Example V 50 parts by weight of the calcium salts of coconutfatty acid, 18 parts by weight of barium acetate and 200 parts by weight of benzene 'are agitated and otherwise treated as indicated in Example III. The ketone is produced in excellent yield. 7

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

'1. A process for producing aliphatic carbonyl compounds which comprises heating a solution in an inert organic solvent of a calcium salt of a.

fatty acid and calcium formate.

2. A process .for producing aliphatic carbonyl compounds which coniprises heating a solution in an inert organic solvent of a calcium salt of a.

fatty acid and calcium formate and supplying pressure in excess of atmospheres thereto.

3. A process. for producing aliphatic carbonyl compounds which comprises heating a solution in an inert organic solvent of a calcium salt of a fatty acid and calcium formate to a temperature between and 400 c.

4. A process of producing aldehydes comprising heating a solution in an inert organicsolvent of an alkaline-earth metal salt 'of a fatty acid having at least two carbon atoms and an alkalineearth metal salt of formic acid.

5. A .process of producing aldehydes which comprises heating a solution in an inert organic solvent of a salt selected from the group consist ing of alkali metal salts, alkaline-earth metal salts and heavy metal salts of a fatty acid having at least two carbon atoms and a salt of formic acid to a temperature approximating 150 C. to 400 C.

HERMANN PRI jCKNER. 

